TAMPA
(July 18, 2000)Plaintiff Jane Akre climbed into the witness box
this morning, the first to give testimony in theFox/BGH suit. Under questioning by
her attorney, John Chamblee, Jane related her 21 years of experience
in the broadcast news and told the jury how she resisted Fox
directives to slant the news in response to threats from Monsanto. Responding to Fox's
defense that people complained about her conduct as a reporter in
the field, she pointed out
that one complaint she was unfair and biased in an interview was not
lodged until a month after she conducted that interview with
the head of the Dairy Sciences department at the University of
Florida.
She went on to explain
that the interviewee, Dr. Roger Natzke, made the complaint
immediately after spending a weekend at St. Simons Island resort,
courtesy of
Monsanto.
Akre's attorney then
played the entire unedited Natzke interview to show there was no
bias nor lack of objectivity. Natzke is clearly seen on the
tape as never objecting or even being uncomfortable with Akre's
questioning which lasted nearly half an hour. Also played for the
jury were the entire unedited interviews Akre conducted with
Monsanto scientist Robert Collier in St. Louis and BGH critic Dr. Samuel
Epstein in Chicago. Although Monsanto also lodged a complaint about
Akre's conduct, the interview tape showed nothing unprofessional nor
objectionable. The fired journalist
will be back on the stand for a second day Wednesday. Ralph
Nader is scheduled to walk into the courtroom to testify Thursday.